Annual hires, total separations, and quits rates, 2001 – 2005

Total separations include quits (voluntary separations), layoffs and discharges (involuntary separations), and other separations (including retirements).

The number of quits increased notably for the second year in a row, reaching 31 million in 2005. In contrast, the levels of layoffs and discharges were relatively flat over the past several years, as was the level of other separations.

These data are from the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. To learn more about hires, separations, and quits, see Job Openings and Labor Turnover: January 2006 (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 06-457. These data are not seasonally adjusted.